When the New Orleans Saints hired Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore two days after the Super Bowl, they were the final team to fill its head coach opening. As a result, Moore and the organization have been continuing to fill out the coaching staff in the days since.
That continued on Friday with the announcement that Brandon Staley has been hired as defensive coordinator. Staley is a fairly polarizing figure among NFL fans, especially Los Angeles Chargers fans, so his hiring drew significant attention on social media, drawing a wide range of reactions.
Staley was the head coach of the Chargers from 2021-23. After producing nine and 10-win seasons in his first two years in charge, the Chargers went just 5-9 to begin the 2023 season, leading to Staley's firing prior to the season's end.
Staley's inconsistency year over year and his in-game decision making were among the main factors that drew significant criticism during his Chargers tenure. His success as the Rams' defensive coordinator is the counterpoint that likely helped him get this chance with the Saints.
Among the variety of reactions to his hiring on Friday afternoon, there were some fans who supported the move and provided an optimistic outlook.
One such fan said, "Interesting move for the Saints—Staley’s defensive expertise could really shake things up, especially with his history under Fangio. Excited to see how he and Moore work together!"
Another fan expressed a similar sentiment. "Brandon Staley’s defensive mind and Kellen Moore’s offense? The Saints might be onto something great."
Overall, however, responses like those were fairly limited. A lot of the responses immediately after the hiring was announced were negative.
One said, "Saints just hired the guy who had the Chargers’ defense looking mid all season. Good luck with that."
Along similar lines, a fan asked, "Why would anyone hire this guy."
Another joked, "Hahahha good luck. He’s gonna safety blitz on 3rd and 25."
A Saints fan asked, "Could he be worse than Dennis Allen?"
Allen was the Saints' head coach for the past two-plus seasons after taking over when Sean Payton left. Allen went 18-25 before being fired midseason last year. He previously went 8-28 in less than three full seasons leading the then-Oakland Raiders.
Moore will hope that Staley and the rest of his newly assembled staff can help him lead the Saints to more success than Allen, that much is clear.
